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Nuclear Medicine and PET

Nuclear medicine SPECT and PET scans may be may be used to evaluate the function of organs and/or tissues or for the presence of disease. It may also be used to follow the progress of treatment of some diagnosis.

At OHSU Diagnostic Imaging Services your care and experience is our number one priority. We are an ACR accredited facility and all our machines are certified. Our technologists are OBMI certified through the State of Oregon, as well as nationally registered with NMTCB and ARRT. Our radiologists have all completed an ACGME nuclear medicine residency. Your appointment is unique to you and each exam is protocoled by one of our Nuclear Medicine Radiologists. Please feel free to call with questions regarding your appointment:503-494-8468.

Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging WEEK 2018! October 7-13

Celebrated during the first full week of October, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Week encourages community members to take pride in their profession– recognizing their colleagues for their hard work and promoting our field to the medical community as well as to the public. This week recognizes physicians, technologists, scientists, and others involved in Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging who take a proactive role in the advancement of the field. Nuclear Medicine originated with the first Iodine-131 therapy over 77 years ago and is now experiencing a resurgence with several new FDA-approved radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and therapy in the last few years, and the burgeoning field of Theranostics.

The theme for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Week varies each year, but the goal is always the same: Pride in what Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging have brought to the healthcare environment over the years. 2018s theme: FUNctional Imaging...NuCLEAR Medicine.

Here at OHSU, we offer the full gamut of diagnostic Nuclear Medicine imaging and therapeutic procedures, participate in many clinical trials, and are developing novel imaging and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals through the Center for Radiochemistry Research, making us one the leading institutions on the West Coast. Please join us in celebrating Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Week at OHSU! Explore the Society of Nuclear Medicine for more information.

What is Nuclear Medicine?

Nuclear Medicine is a specialized and rapidly evolving field of radiology that encompasses a wide variety of diagnostic tests and medical therapies. Common to all types of Nuclear Medicine tests and therapies is the use of radioactive substances called radiopharmaceuticals. These are also referred to radiotracers or just "tracers", for short. Diagnostic tests using radiotracers often have an advantage over other types of diagnostic imaging in that the radiotracers are able to show how a certain tissue or organ is functioning. Most other types of diagnostic imaging tests (e.g. CT scans, MRI scans, X-rays) simply show what an organ or tissue looks like, and not how it is functioning. Nuclear Medicine is most often used by oncologists, neurologists and neurosurgeons and cardiologists. A Nuclear Medicine scan consists of three parts: radiotracer administration, image acquisition, and image interpretation.

Tracer Administration and Image Acquisition

A wide variety of radiotracers are employed in the practice of Nuclear Medicine. They can be injected, inhaled or swallowed, depending on the type of exam being performed. Many radiotracer molecules have specially designed components that target them to specific tissues. For example, in PET scans performed to evaluate tumors, a radioactive form of the glucose molecule (F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose) is injected into the body and is rapidly taken-up by tumor cells that use the glucose for energy. Most radiotracers used in medicine have a very short half-life, meaning they exist for only a short period of time before transforming into non-radioactive substances or before being excreted from the body. Most radiotracers used for diagnostic imaging emit a small quantity of radiation that poses minimal risk to your health. Radiotracers used for medical therapy (e.g. treating tumors) emit a larger amount of radiation.

After the radioisotope has been administered and it has collected in the body tissue under study, it emits radiation that is detected by specialized cameras. The amount of time between when a radiotracer is administered and when the images are acquired can range from a few moments to a few days, depending on the specific type of test. The time required to obtain the images may also vary from minutes to hours to several days. Some studies require planar imaging that acquires 2D images. The two most common types of Nuclear Medicine tests are Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and these can be used to create 3D images.

What's the difference between Nuclear Medicine and PET?

SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) scans result in creation of 2D or 3D images by measuring gamma ray emissions. Gamma rays are a form of short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation that are produced during the decay of radioisotopes. Gamma cameras are mounted on a rotating gantry that allows the detectors to be moved in a tight circle around a patient who is lying still on a table. A large number of projection images of the body are recorded at different angles and 3D images are then computer generated.

PET (positron emission tomography) works very similarly to SPECT but instead detects pairs of gamma rays emitted indirectly by the radioisotope. As the radioisotope breaks down, positrons are emitted. A positron is a particle with roughly the same mass as an electron but oppositely charged. Positrons and electrons are attracted to each other. When they meet, they annihilate each other and emit two photons (gamma rays) that shoot off in opposite directions. The detectors in the PET scanner measure these gamma rays and use the information to create images.

Before the procedure

Your appointment is unique to you. Your primary or ordering physician will explain the procedure and offer you the opportunity to ask any questions that you might have about the procedure. A scheduling professional will advise you on any additional steps you will need to take before your exam. You should notify your physician, the radiologist or the technologist if you are allergic and/or sensitive to medications, contrast dyes, or iodine and/or if you are pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant.

What should I expect during my visit?

Your appointment is unique to you, a technologist will instruct you on the logistics of your specific exam when you arrive. Our highly trained schedulers can also advise you on how long you will be with us. Generally, nuclear medicine exams follow this process:

You will be asked to remove any clothing, jewelry, or other objects that may interfere with the scan. If you are asked to remove clothing, you will be given a gown to wear.

Most likely an intravenous (IV) line will be started in the hand or arm for injection of the radionuclide but the radionuclide may also be administered by inhalation, by oral ingestion, or by direct injection into an organ depending on your diagnosis and the exam ordered.

The scan itself usually causes no pain but for some having to lie still for the length of the procedure might cause some discomfort. The technologist will use all possible comfort measures and complete the procedure as quickly as possible to minimize any discomfort or pain.

After the procedure

You will be instructed to drink plenty of fluids and empty your bladder frequently for 24 to 48 hours after the test to help flush the remaining radionuclide from your body. The IV site will be checked for any signs of redness or swelling. If you notice any pain, redness, and/or swelling at the IV site after you return home following your procedure, you should notify your doctor as this may indicate an infection or other type of reaction.